Board adopts 2025'26 early childhood handbook with correction; reviews policy updates tied to recent House bills

The USD 437 Board of Education approved the 2025'26 early childhood handbook at the meeting, 7 to 0, after trustees noted and agreed to correct an incorrect phone number listed in the draft. Lorelei, who presented the handbook in the first read, told trustees the early childhood handbook was being streamlined to match elementary procedures and to make the handbook's content accurate for families. "We've been working to really start to streamline and make sure that we're kinda following what elementary is doing with the handbook and make sure what's in it is accurate to what our program is providing to families," Lorelei said. Trustees also heard a first read of four policy updates from KASB legal counsel tied to recently passed bills. Staff said one revision updates enrollment policy to align with House Bill 2102; another is a new policy addressing enrollment of military students that allows the district to enroll families while proof of residency is pending because of military orders. Two other changes relate to media relations (House Bill 2134) and a visitors-to-schools policy modified by House Bill 2052. Staff clarified that the proposed visitors policy includes an exception for off-duty law-enforcement officers who would be required to present certification or badge when they identify themselves on campus. The early childhood handbook final-read motion included the phone-number correction and passed unanimously. The policy updates were presented for first reading and will return for subsequent action after any needed edits.